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DiStefano Names Stein Sture Interim Provost at CU-Boulder

May 15, 2009

University of Colorado at Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano today named Stein Sture interim provost for CU-Boulder. Sture currently serves as vice chancellor for research and dean of the Graduate School at CU.

"As a CU-Boulder graduate, faculty member, department chair and esteemed veteran researcher in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, Dr. Sture knows and understands our academic landscape from the ground up," said DiStefano. "He will provide seasoned, savvy stewardship of our academic operations as we seek permanent leadership."

The provost is the chief academic officer at CU-Boulder, overseeing all research, teaching and faculty operations. Sture succeeds DiStefano, who was named CU-Boulder's 11th chancellor on May 5.

Sture will serve in the position until DiStefano fills the post on a permanent basis some time in the 2009-10 academic year.

"Within that time frame, it is my intention to commence either an internal or national search to seek permanent leadership for the post," said DiStefano.

"I am honored by this appointment, and I want to assure our entire academic community at CU-Boulder that we will build upon the achievements of former Provost DiStefano and keep moving ahead with our successes in research, teaching and service and building upon our Flagship 2030 Strategic Plan," Sture said.

Sture holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in civil engineering, all from CU-Boulder. He joined the CU engineering faculty in 1980 after posts at Virginia Tech and at NASA, where he was a visiting scientist at the Marshall Space Flight Center's Space Sciences Laboratory.

At CU-Boulder, he holds the Huber and Helen Croft Endowed Professor post in the department of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, and served as chair of that department from 1994 to 1998. He also served as associate dean for research in CU's College of Engineering and Applied Science from 2002 to 2005 and was named interim vice chancellor for research and dean of the Graduate School in 2005 before being named to the permanent post in 2007.

CU-Boulder is a Tier I research university, a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (the only such member in the Rocky Mountain region) and the recipient of more than $280 million in federally sponsored research contracts in 2008 -- sixth among the nation's public universities.